Small boat propelling mechanism



Feb. 2, 1932. s, KOHN 1,843,823

SMALL BOAT PROPELLING MECHANISM Filed May 26. 1931 lNyENTOR HIS ATTORNEYS,

Patented Feb. V2, 1932 A f f UNirgEnf-sT-Ares Y SAMUEL'KON, or cifrIeAGo. ILLINOIS SMALL BOAT ritornLLiNG MECHANISM Application filed May 26, 1931.v Serial No. 540,120.

is an im1 rovement over my co-pending application Ser. No. 504,869, filed December 26, 1930. i

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved propelling mechanism for small boats and means by which the propellers of a propelling mechanism may be conveniently and easily` swung in a vertical plane so as to accommodate the propeller to very shallow as well as deep water, thereby to provide a propelling mechanismwhich may be used in shallow water such as is usually found near'shore, when beaching the boat on small lakes where docks are not usually available, and in other places wherein a fixed' propeller could not be used because of lack of sufficient water depth. f s

vOther objects will appear hereinafter. The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed. Y

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which: s

Fig. 1 is a side elevational yview of a small boat showing the invention attached thereto;

Fig. 2 isa sectionalview von line 2-2 in Fig. 1; v r I Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevationalvview, partly in section, showing the detail'of construction of theinvention;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4,-4. in Fig. 3; 1

Fig. 5 isa sectional view on line- 5 5 in Fig.3;andV Y Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 in Fig. 4. `l

In the drawings, which illustrate a ypractical and preferred embodiment of the invention, a small boat of conventional design is yindicated generally at 10 and includes the gunwales 11 to which the brackets v12 'are attached by movableclamping elements 13, and xed clamping elements 14. p j

Journaled in the bracket 12 of the mechanism, Fig. 3, is avshaft 15 carrying Va crank orhandle 16 at 'one end and aspur gear 17 at the other, the gear 17 being disposed in the housing 18. The housing 18 includes a section 26l which is continuous with a half section 22 of a shaft housing 21 that carries g the propeller 27. Shaft housing 21`-includes the section attached to Vsection 22 by bolts 23. One wall 28 of the housing 18`is formed integral with the bracket 12,. Extending into the housing-18 from a part 30 of housing section 20 and integral therewith is an arm 29 which has a bearingl in which the shaft 24 is journaled for reasons to be explained hereinafter. Section 26 of housing 18 rests on a shoulder 47 ofvpart 30 and is secured theretov by bolts 19. v

f Journaled in the bracket 12-is a shaft 24 whichcarries aspur gear that meshes with gear17 ,and is preferably smaller in diameter than the lgear 17 so that when the crank or handle 16 is rotated gear 17 will act as a speed-increasing gear with respect to gear 25.4

Likewise carried by the shaft 24 is a bevel gear 32 which ymeshes with a bevel gear '3 3 thatis carried by the shaft 34 which is rotatively journaled, in housing 21. (ln the lower end of shaft 34 is a bevel gear 35 which meshes with a bevel gear`36lcarried by shaftV 37. b Shaft 37` is journaled in Vbearings carriedby the housing section 20, extensions of sections`2() and 22 being joined Vby ybolts 23 and providing a housing 38 for gears 35Y and and shaft 37, housing 38 acting as a guard tolprevent weeds and other foreignbodies A from becoming entangled with the propeller 1t isl apparent that by rotating thecrank or'handleV 16 shaft 15 will be rotated and also gear 17, which will rotate gear 25, shaft24,

gear 32, gear 32 rotating gear 33, `shaft`34, Y and gear which will rotate gear `36 rand shaft 37. Shaft 37 carriesthe propeller27, thereby rotating the propeller which isV free lto be revolved in either direction'.

To enable the'propellei` 27tofbe swung in a vertical arc, to either rightv or left asseenl 'L in Fig. 1, and thereby to accommodate the propeller to shallow water, I provide a latch grip or handle 39 which is pivotally mounted on the housing 21, as at 40. llivotally connected to the handle 39, at 42, is a latch arm 43 which is slidable in a guide 44 formed on the housing 18 and in which is arranged a spring 41. This latch arm or bolt .43 1s engageable in any one of the radially arranged openings 45 formed on the plate 2S and normally holds the shaft housing 21 in verticalposition with respect to the surface of the water. However, when itv is desired to raise the propeller to accommodate the same to shallow water, the housing 21 is gripped by the hand adjacent the finger gripping part 46 of the handle 39, and the handle 39 is pressed inwardly, against spring 41, thereby retractingV the latch bolt 43 from the opening 45 in which it is normally engaged by action of spring 41. rEherefore, the shaft housing 21 may be rotated in a vertical position to right or left, as seen in -Fig. 1, the housings 18, 21 and 38, and propeller 2T pivoting on bearing 31 which turns on shaft 24. llhen the propeller has been raised to the desired height, release of the hand from finger grip 46 will'cause spring 41 to force handle 39 away from housing 21, thereby forcing latch arm or bolt 43 into engagement with one of the openings 45, thus securing the propeller at the desired height or depth forv use in shallow water. y

From the foregoing description it is therefore apparent that the invention provides a simple and inexpensive construction for easily and conveniently accommodating the propeller of a small boat propelling mechanism to shallow water as well as deep water.

While l have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modifi-cation, without departing from the spirit of the invention. l therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to protect by Leti ters Patent is:

and out of said slots to latch the propeller i and. shaft in a `preselected position in a vertical plane.

2. A boat propelling mechanism comprising a propeller and means to drive the same including a shaft, means for attaching said means and propeller and shaft to a boat including a member provided with a series of radially arranged slots, a housing about parts of said driving means movable relative to said memberand in a vertical arc, and latching means carried by said housing including a pivotal handle and an element connected to said handle and movable thereby selectively into and out of said slots to latch thepropeller and shaft in a preselected position in a vertical plane.

ln testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SAMUEL KUHN.

llO 

